Atkinson and Athapaththu crowned ICC Players of the Month for July

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has today revealed the ICC Players of the Month for July 2024 as England’s Gus Atkinson and Sri Lanka’s Chamari Athapaththu.

Atkinson enjoyed a fruitful start to his international career in the longest format, spearheading England’s bowling attack as they swept the West Indies in their ICC World Test Championship series on home soil last month.

Athapaththu was once again an integral figure to Sri Lanka’s success in July, leading from the front with dominant batting displays as her side produced a historic title-winning campaign in the Women’s Asia Cup.

ICC Men’s Player of the Month Atkinson made his first blistering steps in the Test match arena last month, outlining his credentials as potential successor to the departing James Anderson with fiery fast bowling spells as England secured the 3-0 series win.

The 26-year-old’s impressive start was capped by 22 wickets during the series at an average of 16.22 as he took home the Player of the Series prize.

The pacer wasted no time in making his mark, ripping through the tourists’ batting lineup on the opening day at Lord’s with a supreme spell of seven for 45 – the second-best Test haul for any England bowler in a home Test debut. More wickets fell to Atkinson in the second innings where he claimed another five scalps for 61 runs.

Four wickets in Nottingham was followed by six more in Birmingham thanks to Atkinson’s sharp, accurate bowling as England surged to victory and claimed valuable momentum in the ICC World Test Championship standings.

Atkinson becomes the first English winner of the ICC Men’s Player of the Month award since Chris Woakes won in July 2023.